OpenAI Secures $110 Billion Funding as Big Tech Deepens AI Bets

Published: 27 Feb 2026

OpenAI has unveiled a massive $110 billion funding round that underscores the accelerating race among global technology giants to secure a foothold in advanced artificial intelligence. The investment values the ChatGPT maker at about $840 billion and highlights the scale at which AI development is now reshaping capital markets and cloud infrastructure.

Record-Breaking Capital Raise

The funding round draws major backing from Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank. SoftBank is committing $30 billion, Nvidia is contributing $30 billion, while Amazon is pledging up to $50 billion in stages, according to people familiar with the deal.

The scale of the round positions OpenAI among the most highly valued private technology companies in history, ahead of an anticipated public offering later this year.

Strategic Cloud and Chip Partnerships

Beyond capital, the investment cements deeper operational ties. Amazon will supply OpenAI with large-scale computing power, including capacity built on its in-house AI chips. The agreement also makes Amazon Web Services a key platform for OpenAI’s enterprise-focused AI offerings designed to help businesses deploy autonomous AI agents.

These arrangements reflect how infrastructure access has become as important as funding in the AI race, as companies compete to secure computing resources at unprecedented scale.

Microsoft Relationship Remains Intact

OpenAI confirmed that the new partnerships do not alter its long-standing relationship with Microsoft. Microsoft’s Azure cloud will continue to host OpenAI’s core products and APIs, and the software giant retains exclusive licensing rights to OpenAI’s intellectual property across its models and services.

NVIDIA Investment Raises Questions

It remains unclear whether Nvidia’s latest $30 billion investment replaces or modifies a previously announced plan to invest significantly more in OpenAI. Neither company has clarified how the new commitment fits into earlier agreements.

Intensifying Competition in AI

The funding highlights the intensity of competition among Big Tech firms to align closely with OpenAI, which is rapidly expanding its data center footprint to support increasingly powerful models. As AI systems grow more complex and resource-hungry, these partnerships are becoming strategic levers rather than simple financial bets.

OpenAI’s latest raise signals that the global AI arms race is entering a new phase, one defined by record capital flows, long-term infrastructure deals, and mounting pressure on rivals to keep pace.

Source:

Reuters